Categories

Categories

Featured Links

Dialogue Blog

Tina Swanson - Climate Change: An immediate and growing threat to our community

Climate Change:

An immediate and growing threat

to our community

Evidence from the top of the atmosphere to the depths of the oceans, collected by scientists and engineers from around the world, tells an unambiguous story: the planet is warming.

Climate Change is here and more is coming. We will see its impact in rising sea levels and larger storm surge, more frequent wildfires, changing precipitation patterns, reduced drinking water from rainfall and snow pack, loss of some species and addition of new diseases, increasing temperatures, and more “bad air” days.

“The threat is profound. It will alter human civilization. It’s not decades away. It’s closer than you think,” said Gov. Jerry Brown.

All this means that we, the people, will be forced to make some really tough decisions. Where to begin? Shall we work on mitigation strategies, many of which could take a long time to turn the tide? Or shall we focus on preparation and adaptation such as building bulwarks for our roads, airports and buildings?

Christina (Tina) Swanson, PhD.

Senior Director, Science Center

Natural Resources Defense Council

Tina Swanson, Director of Natural Resources Defense Council’s Science Center, will bring all this into focus. Based in San Francisco, the NRDC helps ensure that the nation’s environmental policies are based on sound science. Tina previously served as the lead scientist and then Executive Director of the Bay Institute. Tina brings deep knowledge about the Bay’s ecology and environmental threats. She has authored or co-authored more than 20 peer-reviewed articles and is nationally known for her expertise in water quality policy and fisheries management.

The #MeToo Movement

The #MeToo movement

Why was a tipping point reached now?

Dr. Mairi Pileggi

Dr. LeeAnn Bartolini

While stories about sexual misconduct by powerful business and political leaders have circulated for ages, in 2017 we saw a significant change. Risking careers and reputations, women shared their stories of sexual abuse. As more women spoke out and demanded change, the egregious behavior and abuses of prominent men became public. Some lost their jobs or retired from public life.

The MeToo campaign, begun in 2006 by Tarana Burke, spread virally in October 2017 to help demonstrate the widespread prevalence of sexual assault and sexual harassment. Time magazine declared the silence breakers who catapulted the #MeToo movement into broad awareness the 2017 "Person of the Year."

Although this movement seemed to appear overnight, its precursors have been building for decades. Why was a tipping point reached now? What impact is it having in the U.S. and beyond?

Dr. LeeAnn Bartolini, professor of Psychology, and Dr. Mairi Pileggi, professor of Communication and Media Studies, both of Dominican University will offer their perspective on #MeToo. Dr. Bartolini has been teaching at Dominican since 1985, joining the Psychology Department full-time in 1993. In addition to Psychology courses she teaches Gender Studies courses. Dr. Pileggi’s research focuses on the intersection of the environment, gender, and media with particular attention to relationships of power. Currently chair of the Department of Communication & Media studies, she joined the faculty at Dominican University in 2005.

A Brief Herstory of the Blues

A Brief Herstory of the Blues

Through song and narrative, musician

Sarah Baker guides us through the founding

matriarchy of the Blues.

Sarah Baker

Sarah Baker comes to you steeped in the musical traditions of Memphis, Muscle Shoals and Nashville. Growing up within two hours of each of those cities, in a town near the Tennessee river, her music bears the marked native authenticity of blues, Rock, Soul, and Country that is identified with this remarkable creative region.

Mentored by people as varied as members of the Family Dog, Ralph J. Gleason, Jessie Mae Hemphill, and Huey Lewis, Sarah played as support group to an equally esteemed roster of musical greats, including Etta James, Taj Mahal, Lou Rawls, Tower of Power, Tom Petty, Craig Chaquico, Maria Muldaur, Norton Buffalo, and Dr. John.

As a composer, her commissions have resulted in a string quartet, “String Theories I,” performed at the International Virginia Woolf Festival in 2002, and two musicals cowritten with other artists. She has had music used as theme music for television on KRON-TV, in a documentary, in advertisements, and by artists Markus James, Bonnie Brooks, and the 80’s band Billy Satellite.

Presently, Sarah is co-producing a benefit album for victims of the wildfires in Sonoma County, which devastated the area. “Out of the Flames” features many of the region’s finest musicians, and includes an original song by Sarah. She also records, composes, writes songs, and serves as a performance coach for many young artists in Sonoma County, California. Her fourth album, to be released in 2018, features Muscle Shoals swamp guitarist Will McFarlane and many world class San Francisco Bay Area musicians such as guitarist Garth Webber, the late drummer Billy Lee Lewis, Bassist Mona Gnader of the Waboritas, guitarist Mark Karan, and Pittsburgh, PA. drummer extraordinaire, Janelle Burdell, who recently performed with Aretha Franklin.

Sharon Mor - Have I told you lately....

Have I Told You Lately.......

Sharon Mor

Sharon Mor is a warrior for love. She believes in the yin and yang of life: the dance between strong and vulnerable, masculine and feminine, spirited and entrepreneurial, self-love and love of others. On Valentine's Day morning, Sharon will share with us the benefits of self-love and tell us how to incorporate self-compassion into our daily lives.

Sharon is the creator of The Savvy Spirit Entrepreneur Program, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Edventure More (aka Camp Edmo), a Hoffman Process Teacher, an accredited Life Coach, a certified Master Business Coach and host of The Savvy Spirit Podcast.

Feel Free to Wear Red

Please let us know if you are bringing guests by notifying our

Membership Chair, Becky Bingea at rbingea@comcast.net.

The cost for each guest is $20.00. Also, please let us know the name(s) of your guest(s).